Storm of Emotions
by kodiaqkitten
Summary: Sequel to Bleeding Heart. Inuyasha and Kagome's new relationship will have to endure the ultimate test. Will Naraku's illusion break their bond, or can love truely stand the test of time?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its Characters. Please Keep this in mind for all chapters in this story. Thanks and Enjoy!**

**Sequel to Bleeding Hearts. I recommend reading it before hand!**

**Storm of Emotions**

**Chapter 1**

Flashback

"_Well, Kagome, I was wondering... if you... ummmm, I was wondering." He was having a great deal of trouble trying to get the words out. _

" _Oh damn." cursing, he took a deep breath and grasped both her hands. "Mmm.. .mm...m... Mate!" Was all he could manage._

"_Inuyasha? Are you asking me to be your mate?" Kagome smiled and giggled at his nervous state. When he simply nodded and __still__ avoided her gaze, she laughed once more and answered with a kiss._

_The two were so caught up with each other that they failed to hear the arrival of some very happy friends. Kaede, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippo had made it just in time to hear the proposal and witnessed the very passionate answer._

"_Kagome!" Shippo shouted as he rushed towards the pair._

_The sun crested the tops of the trees to shed its rays of light on the __festive__ nature of the individuals below. If any of the birds chirping in the trees could be classified as on lookers, they would have gotten a good laugh at the scene below. A beautiful young miko embraced the taijiya as an angry hanyou chased a __mischievous__ monk and kitsune around a small well. An old women simply smiled and looked to the sky to enjoy the birth of a new day and the coming to pass of two incomplete lives. _

Kagome awoke in the early morning inside of Kaede's small hut the following day. Yesterday had been one of the happiest moments in her life. Inuyasha had finally confessed his love and had even went as far as asking her to be his mate. She wasn't exactly sure what that was, but it had to be good. She assumed that it was equivalent to him being her boyfriend now. It didn't really matter what he called it.

Yesterday had been so very delightful. After being caught in a rather romantic embrace, Inuyasha had spend the first moments of their arrival seeking retribution from Miroku and Shippo. That had given her time to share in her excitement with her best friend Sango. One 'SIT' later, Inuyasha had been brought to a halt before he could harm Miroku too badly.

The group had made their way back to the village and spent it leisurely together. Kagome had slipped home in the afternoon, to change from her silk dress and pack for another extended period of time in the feudal era. She had finally given up on her school uniform, as she had managed to destroy no less than twenty. Considering that it was fall, she had packed mainly jeans and tight fitting sweaters. She had purchased a nice pair of short topped hiking boots that were much more durable than her last pair of shoes. She had given up on packing her books with her mainly because there was never time to study anyhow. This left more room for medical supplies and conveniences like a thin sleeping bag and bathing supplies, not to mention ramen. Kagome also remembered to throw in her digital camera, and one of the photo albums she had recently finished. She wanted to show Sango all of the photo's from their previous travels.

When she returned, Inuyasha was waiting for her and helped her lift the heavy bag out of the well. It seemed so strange now. Instead of grumbling about how long she had taken, he was very bashful. All he had done was smile at her, thrown the back pack over his shoulder and grasped her hand. They had walked in silence, hand in hand, back to the village.

Followingtheir arrival, Kaede had treated them to a tasty home cooked meal. Then, gathered around the fireplace, Kagome had pulled out her photo album. They had all spent the remainder of the evening laughing and reminiscing about incidences the photo's had captured. She had fallen asleep with Shippo in her arms, Inuyasha sitting along one wall, keeping an eye on his new found family.

She stretched and quietly left the hut, careful not to wake anyone else. Noticing upon waking that Inuyasha was not inside, she had ventured towards the tree she knew he would be at. The sun still hadn't crested the horizon, so it was still rather dark. Kagome had to look very intently at the branches above her to try and spot the demon. She was still trying to find him when she felt a slight breeze blow past her face. Warm hands came to rest around her waste.

"EEEEEEEE!" Kagome let out a short squeal in surprise.

"Jeez Kagome, it's just me!"

"Inuyasha, you scared me." Kagome was trying to calm herself when suddenly she was lifted high into the branches above her.

Inuyasha sat upon the thick branch and leaned his back against the trunk. He settled his miko so that she was sitting between his legs, her back resting on his chest. The top of her head came to just below his chin, allowing him to rest his head upon hers if he so chose. He wrapped his arms around her, ensuring that she would not fall. Since confessing his feelings towards her and her agreeing to be his mate, the desire to protect her had grown even stronger. His thoughts now centered entirely on her well being. He wanted her to stay safe, unharmed, warm and comfortable. All these needs were suddenly pushed forward when she had kissed him as an answer to his question. How could he, a mere half demon, have been so lucky to have a woman like Kagome love him.?

Kagome was still really confused about the sudden transformation in Inuyasha. He had always shown concern for her, but never affection. Now, for the second time he had displayed such feelings. First at the well and now he had wrapped her snuggly in his embrace and seemed content just to hold her.

Kagome was busy trying to figure out the recent changes, when a sharp and stunning ray of light crested the hills upon the horizon. The sun had begun its slow climb into the blue sky.

"Wow, its beautiful." she gasped.

"Mmm, you think so?" Inuyasha whispered to her, sending shivers down her spine.

"Are you cold Kagome?" He inquired as he shifted her slightly, allowing him to draw her in closer and embrace her tighter.

"Oh, no. I'm fine Inuyasha really!" She sent a stunning smile his way before turning to watch the rest of the sunrise.

The sun was fully in the sky, causing vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow to flow softly over the landscape. She sighed and then finally broke the comfortable silence that had engulfed the pair.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah. What?" He replied

"How long do you think it will take for us to defeat Naraku?" She questioned, snuggling into his warm embrace.

Inuyasha thought for a moment, "I''m not sure. The jewel only has a few shards remaining. I know of three of the shards that he doesn't have, four if you include Kohoku. I'm not sure if we'll beat him before he gets those or what. It could take a few days, or maybe even a few years."

"Years huh?" She replied.

"Yeah." Inuyasha was a little puzzled at her question. "Why?"

"Oh it doesn't matter! We should probably get back to the others. Don't you think?"

"Yeah I guess." He picked her up very gently and leaped from the branches of the old tree.

The voices of Miroku, Sango, and Kaede greeted them as they neared the hut. Kagome smiled when Inuyasha finally let go of her hand. _"Well I guess he's still not going to do any public displays of affection. Not that I blame him. Miroku would __have__ a __hay day__ with that!"_

"Kagome!" Shippo's ecstatic voice greeted the pair as they entered.

In the distance, a pair of red eyes watched the priestess and half demon closely. It did not miss the display of affection that pair had shown each other. A slight laughter was heard in the breeze as the eyes faded with the rise of bright sun. A malice like no other was about to descend upon the group. Would the bond between the new lovers be strong enough to weather the storm?

**&**

The group had spent that day preparing for their journey ahead. The following morning, they set out in search on Naraku and the remaining jewel shards. They all stepped lightly at the prospect of another adventure. They had been traveling all morning and stopped along a river to have a quick lunch. Kagome set about gathering water for her instant noodles, while Sango and Shippo started a small cooking fire. As Kagome finished filling the kettle, she felt the presence of some jewel shards approaching. A whirlwind was closing in on them quickly so Inuyasha drew his sword and stood protectively in front of Kagome. He soon found himself lying on the ground, the stench of wolf filling his nostrils with every breath.

"Kagome, my dear. You look well. How has that dog been treating you?" Koga was up to his old antics, grasping Kagome's hands in his, he waited patiently for Inuyasha to start barking at him.

"Oh, I'm fine Koga!" Kagome smiled sweetly at her friend.

"Why you ARROGANT ASS! Take your hands of my MATE!" Inuyasha shouted in a fit of rage.

Kagome was shocked at the anger Inuyasha was displaying. Normally these two scrapped, but Inuyasha's response to Koga was different this time. Plus, what was all this shouting about Mate? What the hell was with that word? It made her feel like an animal. Couldn't he just refer to her as his girlfriend like normal guys would.

Koga released her hands to look at the enraged dog demon before him. "You mated her! When I left you at the well, I said don't screw it up. I didn't say you could claim her! I'm gonna kick your ass! Does Kagome even know what she has gotten herself into?" Koga turned to sniff Kagome, which only managed to elicited a scream from her.

"Koga, what are you doing?" She squealed, not liking the way he was smelling her all over.

"KOGA! GET AWAY FROM KAGOME." Inuyasha vibrated with anger as he watched the wolf youkai smell his mate.

"HAAAA. You lier. Kagome's scent hasn't changed one bit. You haven't mated her yet. That means I still have a chance."

"Mated?" Kagome whispered softly in confusion. Koga's words made it sound really dirty. She looked over at Sango and Miroku. Sango simply shrugged her shoulders and looked as confused as she did. Miroku was trying the same look, but Kagome could tell by the glint in his eye that he know just a little more the Sango and her.

"Feh, not yet, but I will very soon. Kagome has already agreed. Now back away from her." Inuyasha took this opportunity to steady the Tessaiga and take deadly aim at Koga.

"Fat chance dog boy. I'm still not satisfied at your ability to make Kagome happy. I think I'll be hanging around to keep an eye on you." He grinned mischievously at the enraged hanyou.

"_What are they talking about? It's like they've been referring to some deep and intense conversation they've had. I don't understand this 'mate' thing. Why would I smell different because I'm dating Inuyasha?" _Kagome deliberated trying to comprehend everything that was going on around her. She noticed that the air around her was quickly filling with a great deal of tension. "_Time to end this stupid fighting between these two."_

"Koga, maybe its best if you let Inuyasha cool off a bit." Kagome smiled her sweetest smile trying to persuade the youkai to continue on his way.

"Kagome. Stop flirting with that wolf." Inuyasha was frustrated by the fact that Kagome always gave that damn wolf her best smiles. She was too damn nice to that youkai for his liking. "I gave you a chance to leave wolf, now you're going down."

"SIT BOY!"

A small cloud of dust rose from where the hanyou had made contact with the very hard ground. She heard his protest and groans, but focused on getting Koga out of there.

"It was so nice to see you again Koga. Please say hello to everyone for me when you see them. Take care now!" She again used the power of her smile to force her will upon her admirer.

"Alright Kagome, I will. Just remember..." he again grasped her hands and pulled her close. As he gazed down into her beautiful eyes, he was saddened at the thought of never being able to have her as his own. He knew now of Inuyasha's intent and would not keep the two apart. He knew that Kagome would be happy now, for youkai only took one for a mate. Once mated, that bond would be for all time. Kagome would no longer be hurt by the prospect of another coming between herself and the hanyou she cared about. He wanted to hold her in his embrace one last time while he still had the chance. He wrapped one arm around her was, still holding the other to his chest. "Remember Kagome, if you ever have need of me, I will come no matter what."

"DAMN IT KOGA!" The groaning hanyou struggled to his feet.

"SIT BOY!" Kagome yelled, slowly prying herself from Koga's loving embrace.

"That's very thoughtful of you Koga. I'll keep that in mind. Take care." she had finally freed herself and was waving as the whirlwind disappeared out of site.

"Kagome, why the hell do you always take his side? Your my mate now, he has no right touching you!" Inuyasha was steaming as he brushed the dirt off of his cloths.

"What do you mean? It wasn't as if I was begging him too! God! And I'll decide who has the right..." Kagome was cut off by a Inuyasha's rampage.

"Like hell you didn't beg! Batting your eyes like that and smiling. You sure didn't try to avoid him!" He barked, still glaring at her.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed smiling sweetly.

Inuyasha was caught off guard by her suddenly display of affection. But as suddenly as it appeared, it vanished.

"SIT BOY!! SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT!" Kagome screamed, then turned to stomp off.

"Why the nerve of that..." was all the group heard her muttering to herself as she went to pout on a large rock a little was down the bank of the river.

Miroku was chuckling to himself when as he wandered over to the crater Inuyasha was currently inhabiting. The hanyou was spitting the dirt out of his mouth when he squatted down to offer some friendly advice. He found Inuyasha's lack of judgment to be highly amusing. Any bystander could have seen all those sits coming. Miroku shook his head. "_He just never knows when to quit_!" Reaching into the hole, he offered his hand in assistance to the hanyou.

"Perhaps I should go talk to her Inuyasha. I believe that she may have some misconceptions about how youkai bond with another. I will explain it to her, before you get yourself sat into oblivion."

"Feh, whatever!" Inuyasha preferred to sit cross legged with arms folded, staring out at the river. "I'm not gonna go talk to her now!" He fixed his gaze on the scenery before him, still fuming about what had just transpired.

Sango approached the monk, cautiously eying Inuyasha, fearing an out lash that could follow.

"Miroku" whispering low, she continued. "Do you actually know about all this 'Mate' talk?"

"Why my dear Sango," Spotting the crater, he paused in his train of thought and changed course, not wanting to provoke Sango's rage. "Umm, yes, I do know about youkai bonding rituals. I will have to first determine Kagome's thoughts on the matter. Perhaps you had best stay with Inuyasha and keep an eye on him."

Sango simply nodded and observed the monk make his way over to the boulder Kagome was perched on. As she watched, she could see Kagome answering the monk's questions, all the while the grin on Miroku's face broadening, leading her to worry somewhat. Soon, Miroku was using hand gestures to explain the rituals. Sango could see Kagome turning a deeper shade of red with every word the monk spoke. Soon she was fidgeting nervously with her hands.

Inuyasha was not oblivious to the conversation occurring just out of ears reach. He had ceased staring out at the river and had stole quick glimpses of the pair. His ears twitched rapidly, trying to hear what was been said.

"EEEEEEEE! What?" Kagome screamed.

Inuyasha was quickly at her side, glaring at the perverted monk. He suspected that the lecher had stole a feel on the unsuspecting girl. Before he could beat the monk, Miroku raised a hand, signaling him to stop. Inuyasha then turned to gaze upon his beloved and found that she was a deep shade of red and avoiding eye contact. Inuyasha sent the lecherous monk a look of confusion.

"It seems there has been some confusion. Inuyasha come with me while I explain to you some of the rituals of Kagome's time." Miroku led the unsuspecting half demon back to their original campsite.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Naraku chuckled to himself as he watched the priestess and hanyou from behind his barrier. His plan was going to be even easier to accomplish now that wolf demon had intensified the confusion between the pair. This aided his need for mistrust between the two. Self doubt and confusion would play nicely into the concoction he was preparing for the unsuspecting pair. He was going to enjoy watching that hanyou be destroyed. With that damn half demon out of the way, he would finally be able to use the miko to locate the final jewel shards. She wasn't such a shabby prize either. He rather liked the way she looked in those strange cloths and had often found himself fantasizing about her late at night. It was true that he had once coveted Kikyo, but now that Onigumo's heart was no longer in his body, she was useless to him. Just another obstacle that he meant to crush, but the girl... this Kagome... she was special to him. His grin deepened as he thought about the pained expression that would be on her face when he exorcised the purity from her body. Red eyes faded again into the dense forest. Only a little longer, then he would unleash his grand design.

Not far from were Naraku had been hiding behind his impervious barrier, the monk was trying to explain away some of the confusion between the young lovers.

"You see Inuyasha, Kagome believed you where asking her to be her 'boyfriend'. It is my understanding that this term is used for the male who is courting a lady. Now I was somewhat confused myself by her fast ramblings about 'mooveeez' and something called a 'mall', but at any rate she failed to comprehend what becoming a mate meant." Miroku felt compassionate towards the young hanyou who's ears had flattened in disappointment at his words.

"I believe Inuyasha, that by claiming her as your mate, you would be in human terms committing her to something close to marriage. Am I correct?" A simple nod was all he got in response.

"Am I also correct in the assumption that the ritual includes consummation?" He inquired and after the strange look he received from the hanyou, he decided to clarify. "You know Inuyasha...what happens...between a man... and a woman!"

Now the point hit its mark as the half demon flushed a deep shade of crimson.

"Well of course stupid, how else do I mark her?" Inuyasha grumbled, very embarrassed by the direction the conversation was heading.

"That seems to be a bit of a problem with Kagome. It seems in her time it is custom to wait until an older age before engaging in such acts. She was mumbling so fast, it was hard to catch, but I believe she stated that she had to be at least 18 before doing 'the deed'." Miroku sat beside the distressed demon he had grown to call friend. Unable to decided on how to proceed, he sat gathering his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Sango was trying to calm a very distraught Kagome.

"I had no idea that he was proposing. I thought he just wanted to be my boyfriend. It's all so sudden. I'm to young to do this! I still have to finish school. And...and... what would my mother think?" Kagome's thoughts were racing, trying to comprehend the translation that Miroku had offered to her.

"Kagome, maybe you should talk to Inuyasha. I imagine he's taking this a little hard." Her kind hearted friend offered.

The simple words calmed Kagome and soon she was contemplating Inuyasha's feelings. Sango worried more as Kagome's look of distraught turned to one of self loathing.

"_Inuyasha. He must really hate me right about now. I basically just flung his proposal in his face. I wonder what he thinks of me? He's probably pretty upset at my reaction. I guess I should have asked him about the term mate before it came to this. What am I going to say to him? How do I tell him that my feelings are strong, but I'm not sure if I'm ready for such a step? Mating means just as it sounds. Just as it does in my world when it's applied to animals. I just thought he was confused and too nervous to get the right words out. Oh, I've made such a mess of things. How could I be so stupid?"_ Kagome gathered all the courage she could muster. Standing, she turned to thank her friend before venturing in the direction of Inuyasha.

"Your right Sango, Thank you." Kagome was ashamed of herself and couldn't even look her friend in the eye. She nodded slightly before she trudged slowly towards her destination. Towards her fate, regardless of it all was going to blow up in her face. She knew that she had to face the issue head on. She couldn't pretend it didn't exist. She had to clear the air between them. How could they finally make it to this point only to have a slight play on words possible send their dreams crashing in on them?

Inuyasha sat in silence, Miroku having left him to his thoughts. He was suddenly afraid that Kagome wasn't prepared to be his. Maybe she wanted to stay with him, but abide by the common law of humans with humans, and demons with demons. Perhaps being a half demon, half human was going to haunt him for the rest of his life.

Kagome emerged from the bushes into the small opening where Inuyasha was sitting. Her heart sunk when she saw him. His ears had flattened to his head, shoulders slumped, and he stared persistently at the ground. He looked broken, like a vessel with no captain.

"Inuyasha, can we talk?" Kagome whispered, cringing as she expected him to tell her to leave.

"Yeah sure." His barely audible whisper was caught on the breeze.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry. I guess I didn't realize the words you were using. I know you probably don't like me at the moment, but I just... I just wanted you to know that it doesn't change the way I feel about you." She spoke calmly as she came to sit beside him.

"Feh, and how exactly would that be?" He became defensive, trying to shield himself from her impending rejection.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned, taken back by his sudden aggressive behavior. She paused, then taking a deep breath, she reached out and grasped Inuyasha's hand.

It was his turn to be taken aback. Kagome wasn't using this as an opportunity to run? Why?

"Inuyasha, I still love you."

His ears perked up and he turned his head to stare at her with a look of confusion.

"It's just...I guess deep down, I kinda knew what 'mate' meant after Kouga was fighting with you. Miroku only clarified my suspicions. The truth is Inuyasha, I was and am scared." Kagome shivered at the sudden enlightenment. She had only know figured out the truth behind her initial reaction.

"Scared?" he questioned.

"You see, a wife is something similar to what you demons call your mate. Being a wife means behaving a certain way and performing certain... ah..." Kagome blushed at her own words.

"Certain what?" The dense hanyou had yet to be very intuitive about the direction of the conversation.

"You know Inuyasha!" Kagome's blush deepened as she looked at the hanyou. She was shocked when he was still looking at her in confusion.

"No I don't! Certain what?" The demon was beginning to get slightly aggravated at Kagome's inability to inform him.

"Duties!" Kagome breathed out deeply after the word came out.

"Duties. Kagome, it's not like you have to clean our hut or anything. We won't need one since we always seem to be on the move."

His ignorance infuriated her to no end some days. She began to fume as he rambled on about her poorly inept skills as a housekeeper and cook. Finally, she had had enough and because of her enraged state she managed to spit out the word that she never would have been able before.

"No baka, I'm talking about SEX!" she yelled, quickly slapping her hand over her mouth after realizing what she just said.

Inuyasha stopped his ramblings instantly. As her words dawned on him, he flushed heavily. He watched as the now very embarrassed Kagome turned from him. Drawing her knees up, she buried her head in her lap, unable to continue the conversation. He saw that in truth, she was scared. Scared of what though? The commitment, or the intimacy that was part of becoming a mate?

His eyes softened at the suddenly vulnerable girl who was trying to hide from him. He scooted behind her her, drawing closer by placing one leg on each side of her and pulling her back into his embrace. He squeezed her tightly, resting his head on hers as he spoke quietly and calm to her.

"Kagome, I'm sorry. I never thought about that part. I just assumed you knew. Your scared, but off what. I know that you think your too young, but in this time your of the right age." He whispered reassuringly, trying to quell her trembling.

"But Inuyasha, I don't know if I can... if I... you know." She barely squeaked, suddenly overcome with fear and emotion. Tears pooled in her eyes and she whimpered, trying to get more words to come out, but failing miserably.

"_So, it's the __intimacy__ she fears_." He though to himself as he held his trembling, sobbing angel in his arms. "_If its time she needs then I'll wait. I guess I shouldn't compare her to youkai. After all she's been through, I guess she needs time to get used to the idea._"

"Kagome, we don't have to go that far yet." he smiled as she tried to quiet her cries.

"Really?" Her broken word manifested between her teary sobs.

"I could just put a mark on you. That way everyone will know my intention. It might hurt Kagome. It's normally placed during the heat of... um... yeah." he blushed, thinking about what that time would be like with the girl he held so dear to his heart.

Kagome smiled up at him, relieved that he respected her that much. "You promise that you'll wait until I'm ready?!"

"Just as long as you promise to eventually allow me the honor!" He braved a wicked grin and laughed when she blushed heavily at the comment.

"Inuyasha. Just what kinda girl do you take me for!" Kagome was now a little angered at the comment.

Inuyasha decided to silence her with a kiss. She was still seated in front of him so he held her with one arm, restricting her movement. He used the other to tilt her head to the side, far enough back that he could reach it when he leaned forward. He pressed his lips forcibly to hers, causing her to gasp in surprise. He kissed her passionately until her heart began to beat wildly.

With them both in a state of arousal, he trailed kisses down her face, stopping to growl deeply near her ear. He growled again when she shivered, just to cause the same reaction again. His lips trailed lower until they rested near the base of her neck. He wasn't willing to cause her anymore fear, so he hadn't told her the specifics of how he would mark her. When she shivered in delight he seized the moment to sink his fangs into the soft warm flesh of her neck.

Kagome was in heaven as his lips followed the length of her neck. She was in such a state of surrender that she hadn't noticed that the hand that had been on her chin was now positioned over her mouth. She jumped as heat ignited around the spot his mouth had been. Pain surged through her neck causing her to scream, though it was silenced by the hand now tightly clamped around her mouth. Tears poured from her eyes, but as soon as it happened, the pain began to fade. As she came out of the terror she had suddenly felt, she noticed the hand covering her mouth had dropped to rest on her opposite shoulder. A warm tongue lapped at the wound its owner had just inflected. She could feel its healing saliva working at closing the wound.

Inuyasha's heart had broke when she had screamed in pain. He knew the pain the marking would cause her. He had been prepared, but at the same time he was disgusted at being someone who had harmed her. His hand felt burnt by the tears that had fell on it as he had silenced her scream. He knew that there would be faint brushing on her arms where he had restrained her body from jerking away from him. He felt his own eyes burning as he cleaned the blood off her neck. The blood that he himself had caused to flow from the small punctures on her delicate neck. He was ashamed of himself in that moment. Ashamed that he had claimed such a delicate creature as his own. But there was no turning back now, for as he cleaned her blood, the secretions released from his fangs were circulating through her blood stream. Her scent was mingling with his own, making her unmistakably his. It would have been less painful for her if she had been in the throws of passion when he marked her, but until she conquered her fear, they would wait for that moment.

Kagome was dazed by what had transpired. Had he actually bit her? She was pondering on that when she felt something wet fall on the top of her shoulder. Soon another drop joined it. She turned sightly in the hanyou's lap, just enough so she could see the demon behind her.

"_He's crying!"_

No sooner had she witnessed his silent tears when he pulled her into a deep embrace, burying his head in her neck. He was mumbling, trying to tell her something, his tears causing the top of her shirt to become damp.

"Inuyasha?" She pushed back, causing him to lift his head to look at her.

"I'm sorry Kagome, I knew it would hurt you, but I didn't want you to worry. I'm disgusted with myself. I'm supposed to be your protector and here I am, making you scream in pain." His ears flattened again and he avoided her gaze.

"You should have told me Inuyasha, I wouldn't have hesitated. Then again, maybe your way was best. Oh Inuyasha, don't be upset. I know you meant well. I'm not mad. In fact, the pain is gone already. It might be tender for a while, but it wasn't that bad." Kagome encouraged her hanyou to stand and continued to hol his hand. She smiled and began to lead him back to the camp. "I'm just glad that it's over. Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?" he replied, dropping her hand in favor of slipping his arm around her waist. He drew her near, needing her warmth to reassure him that what he had done wasn't wrong.

"Thank you. Thank you for waiting until I'm ready." It was her turn to smile wickedly, feeling a little playful. "You'll be the first to know when that is by the way!"

&

The group was sleeping fitfully around the warm crackling fire. The darkness closed in around them, and a pair of red eyes drew near. Naraku had all his pieces in position and it was time to unleash his devious plan on his worse nemeses. His barrier had rendered him undetectable and all who slept were incoherent to him wandering about the campsite. He paused over his intended prey, taking in the innocent beauty in her form. He smiled despicably as he pressed the jewel shards into her throat. His hand covered her mouth to silence any noise the sleeping girl might make. His movements were fast enough that the shards began to work before she could break completely through her unconscious state. He slinked back into the darkness, oblivious of the bruising on the opposite side of her neck.

Naraku waited behind his barrier, carefully watching the band of fighters from a distance. Early morning was approaching and a thick fog was beginning to roll in. He was delighted in his plan to rid himself of that damn half demon. He had left the duty before to that black priestess. Once before he had intended to use the shards against the girl. Once before he had tried to get Kagome to kill Inuyasha, just the same as Kikyo had done over fifty years before. But alas, the black miko had failed in her attempt to kill the hanyou and younger miko. She had tried to steal the shards from him and had went so far as to release a powerful youkai, merging her body with it in a poor attempt at killing Inuyasha. He was tired of having his plans fail because of the incompetence of others.

With the dawning of a new day, he would set in motion his devious plot himself. No more failure to deal with. With him at the helm of this ship of destruction, he would succeed. He had placed all but two of his shards in Kagome. He required the two to maintain his barrier and to control the miko's shards. He would use the mistrust and confusion he had seen evident earlier to his full advantage. The tainted shards in the girl's neck would feed off of the emotions of self doubt, fear, and hatred. He would use a spell of illusion to fuel those emotions. The miko and hanyou would start with seeds of deception and with his hand to coax the direction of the illusion, those seeds would blossom into full buds of fear and hatred.

He smiled as he thought of that delicious moment fifty years ago when he had used the same tactic to tear apart the young miko who purified the Shikon No Tama, and the hanyou that still lived today. This time would be better. The excitement of Inuyasha's death would give him the high he had sought from the time of his birth. Then, he would have the satisfaction of destroying that girl piece by piece. First he would break her body, probably multiple times, then he would destroy her spirit. His grin deepened at that thought, and his eyes glinted with a malice they hadn't glowed with in quite some time. He growled slightly as his body began to rage with desire for the young girl.

The fog thickened around the sleeping humans. Naraku noticed that the hanyou had left the tree he had been perched in, to scan the area for impending danger. He held his breath as the hanyou stared in his direction, ears twitching nervously. Naraku eased his breath out as Inuyasha returned to sit under a large tree, again watching over his companions. Glancing down at the two paper dolls in his hand, Naraku began to weave his illusion in the quickly thickening fog folding around the campsite. Soon, his paper dolls would have bodies and his illusion would begin to suffocate his prey.

His eyes once again fixed on the slim form close to the fire. Within a few hours, he was positive that she would be his. No more would he have to reign in his desires for that despicably enticing human. No more would he worry about falling to the sword of that hanyou. Once he had Kagome, he would finish his quest for the few remaining shards and set forth his wrath on this pathetic world. That wolf would be no match for the bait he would have. The two shards in Kouga's legs would be easily stolen from him once he had Kagome. Then it was a matter of a few other pests to rid himself of and his future was sealed. An evil smirk crossed his face, red eyes igniting in silent loathing at the world he had come to hate. Soon it would all be his. Soon his plans would take shape. Soon the Shikon jewel would be whole.

His body quivered with excitement as the paper dolls took the shape of two beings very familiar to him. A few more moments and they would be complete. He concentrated on ensuring that their forms and personalities were completely accurate. He had spent the last few months trailing the individuals off and on to perfect their appearance and traits.

He was so sure of himself, that the thought of failure had not once crossed his mind. He took one final glance at the form before the campsite, before turning to his now fully formed dolls.

"Be off my children. Seek those who you desire and do whatever it takes to ensure your success." A grim smile swept across his features as the dolls bowed slightly and crossed through his barrier. They split immediately so that they could approach the group from opposite sides.

"The time is almost here!" He chuckled, easing himself onto a branch high in a tree, perfect for observing the storm to follow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Inuyasha had woke from a light slumber, an uneasy feeling bringing him to a state of awareness. A thick fog had begun to travel in under the fading light of the moonlight. He had vacated the tree in which he was perched to take in the scents and sounds from the area. Smelling the air and carefully listening for any signs of danger he had walked the perimeter of their small camp, stopping here and there to listen. He had not been able to detect any impeding danger to his pack, but his uneasiness would not vanish.

Sitting beneath a large tree, the hanyou continued his surveillance of the area. He realized that the fog was the perfect cover for any evil trying to attack them. He positioned himself to look casual, but all his senses were firing on a heightened alertness. His gaze traveled to the lithe form snuggled in with the small kit. His mate was now his top priority. The youkai side of him would now be willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to keep her safe. This meant that he was unsure of how he would react if they were attacked. The Tessaiga had worked thus far to calm the beast within, but he had his doubts of its effectiveness if Kagome was placed in a life or death situation. Now that her scent was mingled with his, he was certain that if he transformed into his youkai self, Kagome would not be harmed. However he worried about his other friends. His gaze sifted to them as he contemplated his possible youki reaction to them.

Another wave of uneasiness washed over him, he snapped his head away from the fire to stare intensely into the thick fog. Ears twitching, he listened for possible signs of movement in the dense sheets of gray mass. His nose caught it first. The subtleness of the smell filtered through the wall of gray, igniting receptacles of recognition in his mind. He knew that smell. He had know that smell for years and as the scent strengthened, there was no mistaking it.

"Inuyasha," a soft voice flitted on the soft breeze. "It's been far too long, Inuyasha. It's finally time. I've come to fulfill our promise."

**&**

Kagome struggled with the images being blasted into her mind. She tried to force herself to wake, wanting to seek refuge in her awakened state. Her body would not listen, the dream worsened, images flashing faster. She tried to scream out for help, but soon found that even her voice was frozen. She could not move to alert anyone of her problem. Her heart began to race as the images raced past closed eyelids. It pounded dangerously until suddenly the images stopped, and a storyline began to play, almost like a movie. She was a bystander, able to watch, unable to move or interact in any way.

If she had been able to gasp aloud, she would have. The scene was strangely recognizable. A young miko, weary and bloodstained, took deadly aim at a formidable foe. Bow drawn tight, the arrow released leaving a trail of pink energy in its wake. The arrow slowed as it impacted its target, a large piece of red fabric. The image slowly expanded, revealing the from of a young hanyou.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome thought, heart still beating wildly as the arrow pierced his heart and sealed him to the Goshinboku.

The illusion jumped forward in time. It showed her the arrival of herself in the feudal era. Soon the images began to speed up showing her a slide show of images, no longer a movie. Images of her first encounters with Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and everyone else she had met. Images of the Shikon jewel shattering. Suddenly the images changed once more. They focused on Inuyasha's hidden past with Kikyo, secrecy and deception became apparent as he sought comfort in his former loves presence. These slides continued for sometime never straying from images of the revived miko and hanyou.

Naraku chuckled to himself as he felt the young priestess trying to fight the power of the jewel. He had implanted the images of her past in the jewel. It was feeding off of her memories and now as her confusion and self doubt grew, it would begin to lead the visions in a different path. Slowly convincing the girl that her visions were in fact memories. It would paint the picture of a complex triangle of deception. Eventually ending once Kagome was certain that the hanyou had betrayed her and hated her. From there, it would be her own feelings of hated and fear that would encourage her to use her reiki to finish off that despicable creature.

Even now as she lay helpless, visions were laying waste to her feelings of love for the hanyou, and the paper doll illusion of Kikyo was taking up her position. Simply seeing the two together would be enough to set Kagome off when she awoke. Her new protector would assist her in her endeavor to slay Inuyasha.

**&**

Inuyasha stared restlessly into the depths of the fog. He could hear her approaching. His heart tightened with worry. What was happening was too strange. Kikyo had accepted that his feelings had changed. Why would she be doing this now? Maybe she had been possessed?

"Ki... Kikyo?'" He called out, unsure of the vision slowly penetrating the fog.

Her form materialized as she walked closer. One hand outstretched towards him as if beckoning him to her. He stood, hand grasping the sword his father granted him for the protection of others. He couldn't take a chance, not with Kagome lying so close. Something was not right with Kikyo, he could tell it the instant his eyes met hers. Her eyes were lifeless, even though her body was made from graveside soil, she had always had emotion filled eyes. What was wrong with her?

It was then he sensed a presence approaching from the rear. He recognized that scent too. It belonged to the mangy youkai Kouga. Deciding that the situation was becoming tense he called out to alert the others.

"Miroku! Sango! We've got company." He yelled behind him, not taking his eyes off the approaching priestess.

"Inuyasha? What is with the fog, I don't sense any demonic presences nearby?" Miroku replied, quickly assessing the situation. He turned as Sango grabbed her weapon and her trusty neko transformed.

"Who is it Inuyasha?" Sango asked.

"Feh, Kikyo and Kouga. Somethings not right with them though." Inuyasha did not like the direction this was going. "Hey Kagome, you had best get your bow!"

No response came from the girl. She was still snuggled into the blanket with the young kitsune. Sango noticed her lack of reaction and knelt beside her. As she leaned over to touch Kagome, she hesitated. A strong force was being emitted from where Inuyasha stood. His hair was wiping wildly around him, his stance tense and vibrating with demonic energy.

He had felt it before Sango even stepped towards Kagome. They were bonded now and she was calling out for him, though probably unaware of it herself. His youki had raged to the surface and Inuyasha was currently fighting with it to keep it at bay. It was revealing to him his mate's state. He could suddenly feel her fear and stress. His ears picked up the sound of her racing heart. As quickly as it appeared, the demon with in him vanished, returning him to his normal state.

"Sango, somethings wrong with Kagome. She's terrified right now, can you see anything?" He asked the taijiya once he was back in control.

Sango looked at him questioningly, observing his double transformation. Assured that he no longer had his full youki, she returned her attention to her friend before her. Attempting to roll Kagome on her back, she found that her body was stiff as a board. Her breathing was labored and she was perspiring heavily. She quickly noticed the large jewel glowing black in Kagome's neck. She also saw the bruised flesh on the opposite side. Frantically she pulled Kagome onto her lap, unsure of how to ease her discomfort.

"Inuyasha! Kagome has most of the Shikon jewel embedded in her neck! It's very tainted and she seems unable to wake." She worriedly wiped some hair off of Kagome's damp face. Placing a hand on her chest, Sango pulled back when she felt that heartbeat racing at a deadly speed.

"Naraku!" Inuyasha growled. "YOU BASTARD! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO KAGOME?"

Inuyasha was aware that the demon devout of any normal emotion was probably not far away, enjoying the pain and suffering he was inflicting on the group. That explained his sense of unease earlier. Naraku was likely using a barrier to mask his presence. The question remained about the authenticity of the miko before him and the wolf youkai approaching from behind.

**&**

He was tempted to answer the annoying hanyou, but preferred to let the dog suffer! It suited his likings more. His eyes burned red at the excitement of his plans taking shape before him. His body pulsed in a frenzy of raw physical reactions as he began to feel the pleasure of Inuyasha and Kagome's pain. He wanted that feeling to climax. He wanted the hanyou dead, but most of all he desired the miko with his shards in her delicate flesh. It was simply a waiting game and he was going to thoroughly enjoy watching it play out before his very eyes.

**&**

Kagome stirred somewhat from her frozen trance. It was almost more than she could handle. Images of Inuyasha embracing Kikyo had engraved themselves deeply in her mind. She saw the moment of her betrayal over and over. Inuyasha had chosen Kikyo. He had chosen the dead woman over her. Even going so far as telling her to her face that he wished her harm. Inuyasha wanted her dead.

"_You are worthless! Did you really think I could possibly care for a pitiful creature like you? Now that Kikyo has found the remaining jewel shards, you are useless to me_." He had snickered at her, hate and loathing seething from the depths of those amber eyes.

Her whole body convulsed when she heard those words. For the first time she felt afraid of him. He glared at her with such hatred, Kikyo nestled in his arms. What had she done to deserve such treatment?

He had beat her after she had tracked him down in the forest. After stealing her shards, he had called out to Kikyo, smiling as she emerged through the thick foliage. Together they had bantered her with verbal abuse, treating her as nothing more than dirt. The scene replayed over and over in her mind. Again sending her body into tremors.

Sango became frightened when Kagome's small frame was racked with convulsions, eyelids fluttering, but never opening. Highly distraught she called out to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha!" She cried. "Kagome's... she's... I don't know, something is very wrong."

Miroku took up a vigilant stance as the hanyou backed away from the approaching priestess. Hands braced upon his prayer beads, ready to unleash the wind tunnel if necessary.

Inuyasha knelt by his mate, gathering her tenderly from Sango's lap. The beast within began to stir, distressed by the condition of the girl. He carefully inspected the segment in her neck that the shard was embedded in. Silently he cursed himself for his failure to protect her.

"Damn!" he muttered, head hung low as he cradled her unconscious form.

"Get your hands off my woman!" a low growl rumbled from the undergrowth nearby.

"Kouga!" Sango gasped, standing to a battle ready stance.

She watched in horror as the wolf youkai emerged, hatred plastered on his normally friendly face. He circled the camp, coming to rest in front of Inuyasha and Kagome. Sango found herself directly between the wolf demon and the distraught hanyou.

"Inuyasha, Kouga's youki is very strong right now. For Kagome's sake I think we should avoid confrontation." Miroku chided in, backing closer to his friends. A terrified Shippo had awoken during the confrontation and now perched himself on the safety of the monk's shoulder.

Avoiding confrontation was no longer an option. Inuyasha had met his breaking point. This was the last straw for Naraku. After this battle, it would be over. No longer could he allow anyone to harm his mate. No longer would he suppress the demon within. He was preparing to remove the Tessaiga and unleash his true form, when a barely audible gasp drew his attention back to the girl in his lap.

He brought his hand up from the sword at his side to gently caress Kagome's cheek. Her eyes fluttered once, then twice, finally slowly opening to stare into his. At first she seemed disoriented, glancing around, gathering her bearings.

His heart stopped in his chest when those beautiful eyes so full of love and adoration trained in on his again. They instantly filled with fear and hatred, her hand pushing him away. Her scream of terror echoed through the forest.

He was there, holding her. Was he preparing for the kill? She had to get away, had to find a weapon. She wasn't going to die without a fight. Would he rip her to pieces before she could reach her sacred arrows? She pushed back from him ignorant of the look of pain and dejection on his face. Turning once more she saw her savior gallantly preparing to fight.

"Kouga!" She screamed out, desperately clawing at the ground, trying to drag herself so she could run to him. "Kouga Please! He'll kill me for sure!"

Inuyasha was stunned, she had fled from him in fear. Fled in tears, trying desperately to reach the wolf that stood before him. Never had he seen such raw desperation come from anyone. What the hell had happened to her? His heart had felt as if it had been torn from his chest. His own mate thought that he was going to kill her. No doubt this was because of those shards in her neck. Naraku was toying with their emotions, enjoying every bit of his suffering and most definitely getting some sick kick from Kagome's terror.

He stood, preparing for an attack from the youkai she was now hiding behind. He growled upon realizing that Kouga's arm was wrapped securely around her thin waist. Never had he wanted to harm another man than he did in that moment. He was about to draw his sword, when that voice reached him again. Cold lips whispered right beside his ear.

"Fancy meeting that dirty wolf and his disgusting bitch here. I thought you asked me here to fulfill you promise... INUYASHA!" Kikyo smirked devilishly as she tucked an arm through his. "Hello Kagome, miss me?"

Kagome's eyes shifted from shades of terror to sparks of hatred. Luckily, she had found her bow and arrows propped up on a tree just behind Kouga. She had thrown the quiver over her shoulder and already drawing an arrow. She stood behind Kouga, bravely drawing the string tight and aiming at the clay pot priestess.

"Tsk Tsk Tsk. I think she means to shot us Inuyasha. I believe she has forgotten that her powers are insignificant compared to mine." Kikyo smirked, taunting the frightened young miko.

"Inuyasha?" Kikyo questioned after failing to get a response from the hanyou at her side.

Sango and Miroku stood on the sidelines watching the evil plot unfold. Kagome had sought refuge behind the enraged wolf, obviously terrified of Inuyasha. Kikyo had emerged through the dense fog and crept up on Inuyasha. A slight conflict had erupted, leaving the jewel plagued girl aiming a deadly arrow at Inuyasha and Kikyo.

The Tessaiga pulsed wildly, trying to quell the malicious desires of the monster within. This time it would fail. The air around them crackled with new tension and a strong youki. The wind picked up and then switched directions. Miroku could see hints of red and blue in Inuyasha's features as his white hair blew about his face. Claws began to lengthen and an eerie growl was beginning to vibrate within the walls of the fog. Miroku grasped Sango, slowly drawing her away form the people in front of him. Inuyasha was transforming despite the will of the Tessaiga. This meant that they were no longer safe. In Kagome's state, she would not be able to stop Inuyasha's transformation. Sango, realizing much the same, called for Kirara. The three mounted the nekoyoukai and took to the skies above.

"We can't leave Kagome down there!" Shippo whined, frightened by what was transpiring below.

"Shippo! Inuyasha has transformed, we can only assume that he would kill us if we tried to lay a hand on Kagome right now. I'm not sure why, but my intuition tells me that he will not harm her. All we can do is watch and see how the situation progresses." the monk tried to comfort the young kit. He feared his assumption though. Kagome's safety was not as assured as he led the kit to believe.

She had witnessed the transformation within him. She drew the bow back tighter and focused the arrow on him now, instead of the revived miko at this side. Just as she was about to release the arrow, she heard it. A faint voice calling her from the back of her mind. A deeply masculine voice. It was calling to her, asking her something. She couldn't quite make out the words. She gave the bow a little slack, straining to here that voice.

"Mate!" it called out.

"You must concentrate mate. Here me!" the words began to be more articulated and louder.

Kagome was confused, the voice was familiar, yet she couldn't place it. What was happening to her? Why was she suddenly hearing voices?

An image came to her mind. Fireflies and loving amber orbs? What did it mean? Why did the vision elicit feelings of love and comfort


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 **

_Soft light glowed in a sensual dance around her, a light breeze brushing against her skin. A sense of calm washed over her. A flash of brilliant gold peered through the darkness, no not gold... Fire? The light in her darkness grew closer, enticing her to focus __solely__ on it. _

_Amber! _

_Yes that was the __color__ of them, but what were they? It felt familiar... Something she should remember. Something she couldn't forget completely. Something..._

"_**Kill Him! Kill Inuyasha" A**_ thick and rigid voice was trying to draw her from her now warm and comfortable place.

"_What? Kill Who? Those orbs are so pretty, so warm... I think I'll stay here for a while longer."_Kagome was fighting to stay in a place she felt safe. She did not like that voice at the back of her mind. She liked the pretty orbs better. They were beckoning her after all.

"_**KILL HIM WENCH, KILL INUYASHA**_!" The voice was back, more ominous and demanding than before.

"_Kill Inuyasha, Why? They look like they're on fire. Those orbs are so close I could almost touch them. Just another moment and they'll be within my reach. Then I will do as you wish." _

Kagome was still holding her bow, drawn and ready to fire. It had slipped down somewhat, but she could release it at any moment, sending the deadly arrow into him. Inuyasha was in no state of worry, since the beast inside had taken hold of his consciousness reins. The youkai would not tolerate the pain and suffering of its chosen one, nor would it subject itself to undo harm. Subjecting itself to that would mean the possibility of failure to protect its mate.

Before, the transformed Inuyasha would have thrown himself into battle, ignorant to his own well being. However, since claiming a mate, the youkai within was devoted to her protection, her comfort, and her overall well being. Seeing Kagome in obvious physical and mental distress had pushed Inuyasha to his limits and the beast within had won its battle for control. No one could possibly hope to save the wolf that stood between them, nor the one who pulled the strings on this puppetry of deceit. However, Inuyasha had to remove Kagome from danger, before attacking the wolf. He could not risk her being harmed indirectly from any attack aimed at the wolf demon in front of her. There was also the issue of the priestess at his side. The lifeless resurrection of a woman from his past. His demon felt no regret at its decision for her demise. In fact in all actuality, he would be doing her a favor, releasing her troubled soul from its pained and incomplete existence.

First and foremost was Kagome's safety. Their limited bond allowed him some connection with the girl. In his full demon form it was much easier for him to access the far reaches of her consciousness, calling out for her. She would not be aware of this ability, but she would be drawn to it. Their mating may be incomplete, but a connection was present, and he would focus on making her aware of the tainted shards. Once she could concentrate on purifying the shards, he would make her retreat to a safe distance. Following that he could kill the wolf, priestess, and finally the master of this hanous plot. Naraku would perish for his acts of intolerable suffering and cruelty. Today it ended.

"_Kagome, I need you to come to me! You must fight from the inside Kagome._" The warm voice floated towards her.

"_Fight what?"_ Those amber orbs where right in front of her. They were instructing her to do something. The voice seemed much nicer than the one still screaming behind her.

"_There are tainted shards in your neck Kagome. Can you find them love?_" The eyes had moved, almost asking her to follow.

"_Shards? Where do I look?"_She was so confused, but she didn't want to disappoint the orbs that were warming her from within, drowning out the other terrible voice.

"_In your neck Kagome, you must purify the tainted shards in your neck."_ The voice was moving. Not wanting to lose it, she followed.

"_My neck?_" She felt her body moving, but ignored it. It would be alright if she followed that voice. She was unsure of the details, but she knew that those amber globes could be trusted. She focused on doing as they asked and began a mental scan of her body. She traveled down towards her neck and came across a large rock shaped object. It seemed to foreign to her, this must be what the warm voice was talking about.

Miroku and Sango watched in silence at an unexpected occurrence below. Inuyasha had not moved an inch since transforming into a youkai. His hand still clutched the fang sword at his hip. Kagome had drawn her bow moments before, preparing to launch a sacred arrow into his heart. Suddenly after Inuyasha's youki had taken control, the young miko had lowered the weapon and began backing away from Kouga. Her eyes were still lifeless, but she had stopped her aggression and appeared to be retreating. Then, dropping her bow, her hand had come up to touch the tainted shards in her neck. Sheltered behind a large tree she had sat and stared into the fog.

"What is she doing? Do you think she is fighting the shards? Why isn't Inuyasha doing anything?" Sango bludgeoned the monk with a barrage of questions.

"I'm not sure Sango, it seems as though Inuyasha is waiting until she is out of harms way." the monk responded taking note of the actions of those below him.

"_Purify the shards? How do I do that?_" Kagome was unaware that she had moved away from the group and was now seated behind a large tree, protect from the storm that was about to blow through. Amber globes disappearing worried her at first, but a reassuring feeling flooded in as they receded into darkness. Waves of warmth, love, and the images of her mate where transferred to her by her Inuyasha. Her reiki focused on those emotions and set to work on purifying the shard within. She was rewarded quickly as a tiny pink glow twinkled weakly within the depths of the black shard. Now she focused solely on making that twinkle larger.

Inuyasha was satisfied at her safety and her beginning attempts to purify the shard. His eyes flicked with rage as the wind finally blew the long mane covering his face off to the side. His grasped his sword and in one fast movement, drew it and aimed at the wolf beside him. He payed no mind to the sound of a thud as the clay miko behind him fell to the ground.

"I don't believe it!" Miroku muttered above his breathing. Inuyasha had pulled his sword, drawing it straight through the body of the Kikyo. He had slain her in one quick and decisive blow, feigning no emotion as he pointed the fang sword at the next target. Not only could he not believe that Inuyasha had just slain Kikyo, but his youki was able to wield the sword. He had been under the impression that Inuyasha's ability to hold the sword was in part his desire to protect others, but his human half as well. To his knowledge, no demon had ever been able to hold the sword. Before the fang had controlled his demon half, ending his transformations. Now it seemed that the sword was completely acting on the will of Inuyasha's youki.

"How can this be? He just slew Kikyo with his sword. I can't believe it." Sango too was at a loss for anymore words. She was well aware of the swords former abilities and was astonished to see the demon slay its former love with the fang.

A deep and venomous growl rumbled from deep inside the demon's throat, causing the pair of humans above him to shiver. They watched in a combination of horror and fascination as he launched his attack on the wolf below. With lightening speed he pushed forward, slicing the wolf down in two quick blows. He hadn't even called upon any of the swords special abilities. Kouga had not even been able to suspect an upcoming attack. Never had they witnessed such strength from their friend Inuyasha. Never such speed and agility.

"Sango, perhaps we should go assist Kagome. I feel that we need to erect a barrier around her. Naraku could do anything now that Inuyasha is in this state. Kagome is our first priority." Miroku spoke to his companion as he weighed their options.

"Right! Kirara lets go!" Sango voiced back, and they were soon descending to the girl braced behind the tree.

Within a short moment, the remaining group was on the ground at Kagome's feet. Miroku was quick to erect a strong barrier around the young miko. Sango had taken up a position beside Kagome, holding her hand and whispering words of encouragement to her. It was Sango who was the first to notice the change in Kagome's physical form. No longer was her body stiff and lifeless. Her eyes were filled with pain and anguish, which although did little to cease Sango's worry, did assure her that her friend was no longer under Naraku's complete control and was fighting a lone battle within. The enormous jewel shard within her neck was still quite tainted, but Sango could see that the center of the shard was glowing pink. At seeing this she smiled.

"Miroku! Kagome is trying to purify the shard! She's fighting Naraku's control." She was ecstatic to see some hope in the girls eyes as she fought for control over the shard.

"Kagome will have a tough battle ahead of her. I hope for her sake that Inuyasha finishes this fight soon. The sooner Naraku is taken care of the better. Judging by the size of the fragment in her neck, I suspect Naraku was not expecting the outcome of his plot. He underestimated the strength of will of Kagome. He also apparently underestimated Inuyasha." Miroku was again contemplating the situation. He was now sitting cross legged on the ground, holding the staff that had been jammed into the soil. A barrier had spread from the staff and he was ensuring its longevity.

"Miroku!" Sango gasped, "This mark on Kagome's neck, I noticed it before, but I never... is it possible?" She looked questioningly at her companion. Knowing that he would understand what she was getting at.

"I see my dear Sango. I believe indeed that Naraku is in for an enlightening experience. This bodes well for all of us. Very well indeed." The monk smiled reassuringly to the slayer beside him. For if that mark was indeed what the two of them suspected. The bond between priestess and hanyou was very strong. That mark would explain the pairs odd behavior before. It was of little wonder to them now how Kagome had come to walk away from Naraku's clutches and Inuyasha's demon abilities were becoming clearer as well.

Miroku and Sango exchanged slight blushes of knowing. The monk extended his hand to briefly squeeze Sango's small and fragile one. If what they thought was correct, they to could very soon be spending their days as a couple, no longer fighting Naraku and searching for the shards. A small glint of hope crossed his features as he allowed himself one quick glance at his cursed hand before turning his full attention back on the barrier.

**&**

Kanna wandered quietly through the dense forest. It had now been a full day since the infant whom Naraku had sealed his heart in had dissolved. It had been a problem for Naraku, keeping his heart from his body. He had tried many times to discard it from himself, the most successful being the infant. However a few months back, the infant had became sick, most likely from a mutation in its genes. Despite constant attempts to perfect his technique, the heart always pushed out of its surrogates body. In fact, the heart had done so from the infants body three times before. Naraku had always been close by and managed to rectify the problem. This time the body had dissolved around the heart, leaving the beating organ wrapped in the infant's blanket.

She was finding her way back to Naraku. He needed to either take the heart back in, or create another surrogate for it to reside within. She paused at the base of a small stream to gather her bearings. The dense fog was inhibiting her ability to maneuver through the difficult terrain. She took shelter in a nearby rock formation, deciding it was safer to wait for the fog to lift. Settling her back against the rock, she pulled her precious package out, wishing to inspect the condition of his heart. Upon opening the small bundle she was surprised to see the heart racing.

"He's fearful of something." She spoke quietly to herself, pondering the reasons for such fear. He had the jewel shards, that alone would keep him safe from any harm. The only way he could show such fear was if the shards were no longer in his keeping.

**&**

Naraku couldn't believe his eyes. Inuyasha, that loathsome half demon had transformed. His demon self had quickly done away with his two paper doll illusions of the dead priestess and the wolf demon. What scared him the most was Inuyasha's self control. He had known about the demon half, but as far as he could tell, Inuyasha normally became nothing more than a monster, unaware of his surroundings.

This time was different. That half demon had willed away his priestess somehow. Removing her from danger before commencing his slaughter on the illusions. Naraku growled in disgust. Kagome would be his, no matter what. The half breed would pay. Even with only two jewel shards in his possession he would be able to beat the loathsome beast. He was Naraku, powerful demon and soon to be ruler of all lands. No one would stop him. No one!

Inuyasha could still sense an evil presence about him. He turned carefully, sniffing the air around him, ears twitching rapidly. There! To the west, about fifty feet away, the scent was the strongest there. He turned his head in the opposite direction not wanting to give away the fact that he knew where Naraku was hiding. He stepped towards Kagome, aware of others around him. He growled lowly as he approached. There identity did not register in his demon mind. He knew that they were familiar and he could not sense any threat from them, but he did not like others around her.

Sango gasped slightly as the demon form of Inuyasha approached them. She new that the barrier would only keep him out for a while, especially since he was able to use the sword. She gathered Kagome closer to her, unsure of the demon's intentions.

"Sango?" A tiny voice inquired.

"Kagome! Your awake!" Sango was relieved that Kagome finally seemed completely out of Naraku's grasp.

"Where is Inuyasha?" The whispering girl inquired.

"He's fighting with Naraku's... ah... It doesn't matter. It's over and he's approaching. Kagome, Inuyasha is in his demon form. Miroku has erected a barrier around us to protect us. The jewel shard Naraku placed in you is still lodged in your throat." Her comment made the young miko in her lap reach up an touch her neck. Her touch purified the remaining darkness from the shard and it shone with a brilliant pink glow.

"Sango? Do you think you can take it out now?" Kagome asked, aware that the shard was purified. She was too weak to take care of the matter herself.

"Yes, but it may hurt Kagome." Sango reassured her friend by squeezing her hand. She quickly grabbed a small dagger she always had hid in one of her boots. Carefully she lowered the blade to Kagome's neck intending on using it to pry out the jewel.

"Lay very still Kagome, it will only take a few seconds for me to pop it out. Ready!" Sango waited for her friends body to still before pressing the blade against her skin.

She was about to force the blade under the jewel when she heard that menacing growl. Inuyasha was just outside the barrier. She could tell how this must all look to a demon. She was about to speak up when Kagome grabbed her hand that was holding the knife.

"Inuyasha" Kagome whispered, "It's ok. Sango is going to help me get this shard out of my neck. I'm too weak to do it myself. You don't have to worry Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku would never hurt me. They would never hurt you either." With her final words she looked up at Sango, silently telling her to cut.

In one quick movement, Sango pressed the tip of the blade through Kagome's skin and popped the jewel shard out of her neck. She quickly placed the shard in Kagome's hand and ripped some cloth from the bottom of Kagome's shirt. Pressing the cloth against her neck, quickly stopping the trickle of blood that was trailing down the girls neck.

Inuyasha growled even louder as the scent of Kagome's blood filled the air. He was unsure as to why she did not show any signs of distress. There was no fear in her as the human used a blade to slice into her neck. In fact, she seemed as calm as ever. He stepped closer, the barrier crackling around his foot.

"Miroku, let the barrier down." Kagome said, sitting up with Sango's assistance.

"Kagome, are you sure?" Miroku eyed the demon Inuyasha warily, not yet certain of their own safety.

"Yes, Inuyasha will not harm you or I." Kagome spoke, her eyes fixed once more at her lover.

Miroku pulled his staff from the ground and the barrier opened above them, then slowly settled the the ground. It disappeared, seemingly fading into the fog around them. He stepped back towards the girls, ready to protect them if the need arose. To his amazement the youkai walked straight past him, paying him no mind at all. He watched as Sango edged her way back from Kagome to allow the demon to kneel beside her.

A gentle hand reached out to caress the small wound in Kagome's neck. A low growl rumbled from his throat as he inspected where the jewel had been. Naraku would pay for the pain and suffering he had caused to this girl. Kagome was his and he would not tolerate anyone interfering with her. He noticed her wince slightly as he trailed a clawed finger over the wound. Without hesitating he dipped his dead to her throat and licked the blood covered wound. Carefully he cleaned it, letting his healing saliva penetrate its depths.

Kagome shivered when that tongue made contact with her skin. His one hand had come to hold her behind her head, thus allowing him to tilt her head at slight angles to grant him better access to her wound. The other strong arm was secured around her tiny waist. She reached out to hold onto his sleeve on his upper arm. She giggled when she heard a slight whimper come out of his throat. Apparently he was upset that her skin would not heal the same way his did. In his demon form he truly did act more like a dog. Carefully she pushed him back, assuring him that she was alright.

"I'm fine Inuyasha. Really!" She smiled one of her special smiles. When he brought his head up to face hers, she rested her forehead on his. His blood red eyes and fangs did not scare her one bit. Inside this shell of a demon was the one she cared for and it was obvious that the beast in him cared for her as well. It was reassuring that she was accepted by both halves.

Inuyasha's youkai heart rejoiced when she so confidently rested her head on his. When she initially pushed away, he was afraid she was rejecting him. Her smile had said it all. She did not fear his youki half, she embraced it. She stared lovingly into his frightful eyes. Overcome with emotion, he embraced her fully. Falling back into a sitting position, he pulled her securely into his lap. Strong arms snaked around her slight frame, almost crushing her to his sturdy frame.

He eased up on his grip when his sensitive ears picked up on her giggles once more. He almost died when her hand reached up to stroke one of his ears. If he didn't have any dignity he would have been tempted to start twitching a leg in sheer pleasure. However, his moment of bliss was short lived when his keen hearing and smell caught wind of Naraku approaching stealthy from behind.

Inuyasha growled slightly before quickly standing with Kagome. He hurriedly placed her beside the taijiya and monk, before turning to face the oncoming danger. Sword drawn he stared into the fog, desperately searching for the hanous creature that was slinking towards them.

Miroku was quick to take action, again erecting a small barrier around himself and the two girls. He watched in desperation at the fog that swirled about them, hoping to catch glimpse of who was approaching. He knew before the figure ever breached the threshold of their visibility because everything in his body was telling him that it was Naraku.

"Kukuku ku!" The eerie voice chuckled from the depths of the cloaking fog. "So Inuyasha, you still think you can defeat me! You pathetic hanyou. Even in your true form you are still weak and defenseless. You didn't even notice when I snuck into you camp last night to visit my sweet Kagome. I could have taken her then, but I want you out of the way first."

Inuyasha took a step forward towards the form that was emerging from the dense fog. The sword took on markings much like his own as a thin blue vapor began to swirl around the blade. He let out a warning growl before taking up a defensive stance.

"Honestly half breed. Do you think to scare me with you pathetic sword attacks." Naraku was stalling, trying with all his might to mentally call out to his jewel shards. His eyes strained towards the girl, searching for the large tainted shard in her neck. Once he caught sight of them he would be able to call them back to him. He felt the pain in his chest when he saw that the girl had purified them and was currently holding the almost complete Shikon Jewel in her hand. How could it be though? That girl couldn't possibly have been able to purify that shard. She had been in a state of sorrow and anger when he had left her mind. It was true that she had been fighting his control, but he didn't actually believe she would be able to completely purify the jewel.

**&**

Kanna studied the heart that was lying in her lap, still half wrapped in the infant's blanket. It had sped up, convulsing dangerously in fear. What had Naraku gotten himself into? Why would he chance removing the jewel shard from his presence? Slightly unnerved by the hearts strange behavior, she wrapped it tightly in the blanket before restoring it to its residency in a pouch at her hip. Collecting her mirror, she stood. Mindful of the rocky terrain around her, she continued slowly in the direction of her master.

Unknown to Kanna, Kagura had been following her. She had paused to watch the young girl from behind another rock formation. What she had just witnessed had made her hopes soar. Naraku's heart was in visible distress. She had seen how it had been racing and Kanna's worried look had confirmed her theory. Naraku was in trouble. This could finally be the end of his control over her. She had passed Inuyasha's camp no more than a day ago and had come to the conclusion that they were currently crossing swords. In utter desperation to see the bane of her existence meet his end, she hurriedly followed after Kanna.

**&**

Miroku and Sango stared at the transformed fang. This new aura around it was dangerous. They had never seen the blade look that way. It had two streaks of blue coming from the base of the blade. The streaks became narrower as the reached towards the tip. A thin blue vapor was swirling around the blade, starting as a lazy circle at the base it was slowly increasing in speed.

"Miroku? Do you see that?" Sango inquired, nervously eying the blade.

"Yes. It seems the blade has taken on some of Inuyasha's youki." Miroku replied.

"I guess it really isn't that strange if you think about it. The sword was forged from the fang of Inuyasha's father. He must have known that Inuyasha would transform, no he definitely knew. That's why he made sure that the sheath of the sword and the sword itself would keep Inuyasha's demon caged." Sango was thinking out loud. "Inuyasha's father must have known about what would happen when Inuyasha took a mate. Perhaps the Kagome has taken up the former role of the sword, thus allowing it to reach its full potential"

Miroku was taking in what she said, but gave her a quizzical look at her last statement.

"Kagome is his shield now. The demon inside isn't fighting against Inuyasha's human half anymore. For one in his existence, Inuyasha's two halves want the same thing...Kagome. The sword no longer needs to keep the demon caged because Kagome has changed the demon within. Get it?" Sango glared at the monk who was currently looking a little daft. Judging by the perverted look that was crossing his face, she knew were his thoughts were headed.

A small gasp behind them made them remember that they were not alone. Turning, they were rewarded by a very red faced Kagome. She too had taken in all of Sango's words and the implications where finally dawning on her. Her hand quickly reached up to touch the small bruise on the other side of her neck. The bruise that Inuyasha had left on her, intentionally marking her as his. Now she was beginning to understand the full significance of what it meant to be mated. They weren't like a human husband and wife. She was bonded with him, linked in some strange manner. Images of his amber eyes in her dreams flashed through her mind. So that was it! Inuyasha's demon had been able to call out to her. The youkai side had merged with her mind and removed her from danger. Now, because of her bond with him, the his youkai was no longer a threat. The sword had realized this and had willfully transformed for the holder.

Naraku was panicking. He could sense the power being emitted from the sword and its owner. He was beginning to doubt his ability to face his opponent. The only chance he had was getting the shards before he was attacked. Inuyasha was slowly advancing upon him. He needed to stall.

"Inuyasha? Do you think that girl would honestly accept you! Face the facts half breed, no body could possibly care for a pathetic creature like yourself. Kagome would be much better suited for my use. It would be easier if you would just hand her over. Besides, once she has had a strong man like myself, she would never go back to you. How I can't wait to have her in my possession. It's not polite to make someone wait you know." He began skirting sideways, trying to distance himself from Inuyasha, while still closing in on Kagome.

"Oh and Inuyasha, Kagome's skin... it's quite tantalizing isn't it. She did feel so good when I visited her at your camp last night!" He smirked evilly before lunging at the weakened priestess.

A snarl ripped from Inuyasha's lips as he watched Naraku begin to lunge at his mate. With lightning speed he jumped, intercepting the fiend before he could reach Kagome. The fang was drawn above his head and came crashing down, catching the unsuspecting Naraku in the head. Inuyasha roared as he pulled the sword down through the body of his enemy cutting him straight in half.

He stood, sword resting on the ground, his head dropped. The blue vapor began swirling at the base of Naraku's feet, splitting to encircle both of his split halves. It climbed in a circular pattern up the two halves until it completely surrounded its victim.

Naraku's eyes widened. He had been spliced in two. Without the shards he was unsure if his body could withstand this. The vapors that had been surrounding his body pieces began to squeeze roughly against him. He felt as if he were in a vice. The pressure against his body continued to mount.

Miroku, Sango, Kagome and the others watched in silent fascination as the blue cloud engulfed their most hated enemy. They could see that it was slowly tightening its grip on him, easily restraining any attempts of his for freedom. They watched as his eyes widened with fear before suddenly his body exploded into millions of tiny blue particles. Patiently they waited expecting his body to reform as it usually did. A few minutes passed, but the blue particles remained suspended in the air.

Inuyasha glared at the particles, half daring their former self to try to reconstruct his body. Naraku was unable to accomplish such a feet. Two jewel shards fell close to his feet, still tainted black by its owner. Kagome saw this and soon had crawled over to retrieve them. They flashed pink as her miko powers purified them. She placed them into the small container she carried with her, and dropped the large stone in on top of them. She was just standing when Inuyasha grabbed her by the waist and pushed her behind him.

She soon saw why, another body was emerging from the fog. To her surprise it was the young albino girl that worked for Naraku. The girl walked openly in front of them, seemingly completely disinterested in their being there. Her small hands reached into a pouch drawing out a bundle of cloth. Inuyasha clutched his sword as she began to unwrap the blanket.

"Oh my! It's Naraku's heart!" Kagome gasped upon realizing the contents of the bundle.

Blue particles began racing towards the heart, anxious to attempt a rebirth of their former self. Before Inuyasha could move the wind howled and another form was behind the girl. Kagura settled behind her as the winds around her calmed.

Miroku and Sango raced towards her, weapons drawn, but slowed when she did something strange. She motioned them to stop. Before the could sense her attentions they were amazed to see her grab the heart and through it in the air. In one quick movement she swung her fan at it.

"Dance of blades!" She screamed and thousands of red blades were flung at the helpless heart that was just beginning to fall towards the ground. Her attack caught the heart slicing it into tiny pieces.

Kagome and the others watched silently as the heart pieces fell to the ground, no longer beating. The tiny blue particles began to disappear, fading away. The fog too suddenly lifted, exposing them all to the rays of the morning light. A loud shattering sound drew there attention back to Naraku's two reincarnations. Kanna's mirror had shattered and souls were floating slowly towards the sky. Kagura had fallen to her knees, her hands braced on her chest right about where her heart would be. A single tear fell from her eye and she smiled at the people before her. It was Kanna who spoke next.

"I see. Naraku is dead." Her cold monotone voice betrayed the relief she was feeling.

Miroku gazed a long time at the Naraku's former assistance. He too slumped to the ground. He noticed Sango's intent gaze as he slowly lifted his hand to his face. His palm was turned away from him and the others. Slowly he released the prayer beads that contained the swirling vortex. As the cloth dropped he closed his eyes.

Sango squealed in delight before tackling the monk completely to the ground. She lay there on top of him and wept in happiness. It was over. Finally it was over. Strong arms reached up from under her to wrap her in an embrace. They lay there oblivious to the others stares. Content to hold one another and weep.

"Kagome?"

Kagome turned from watching her two friends embrace. She wiped the tears from her eyes to smile up at Inuyasha. Sensing that the danger was gone, the youkia had relinquished his grip on the body and allowed Inuyasha to regain control. His eyes were back to being that amazing shade of amber.

"What is it Inuyasha?" She smiled at the now seemingly saddened hanyou.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't stop Naraku before he hurt you." he pinned his ears to his head in defeat. Appalled at his inability to sense the enemy in their own came.

"I'm not!" Kagome replied, trying not to giggle as his head snapped up like an attentive puppy. "If Naraku wouldn't have put the shard in me, he would probably still be alive. The little pain and suffering I went through was nothing compared to our accomplishment. Naraku is gone. Miroku's hand is cured. We can finally stop this fighting and get on with our lives."

Smiling he wrapped an arm around her. He watched as Kanna and Kagura left. He wouldn't go after him. They were of no threat to any of them now. The relief and excitement of their freedom was evident on both their faces. Naraku wouldn't be able to make them suffer anymore either.

CRACK

"You Pervert! You just had to wreck a wonderful moment didn't you!" Sango yelled.

Kagome and Inuyasha watched as Miroku rubbed his reddened check, the hand print still evident.

"But Sango my love, I thought you wouldn't mind this time. I mean you were sprawled out on top of me!" His eyes danced in a mischievous way.

To their surprise, Sango just blushed and smiled at him innocently, before allowing him to help her to her feet. They were even more astonished when she did not release his hand upon standing. His excitement by the latest development was not hidden in the least on his face. He soon wrapped an arm cautiously around her wait, relishing the moment when she snuggled in closer.

Soon the group had gathered their meager belongings from their camp and were preparing to head back to Kaede's village. Miroku was extinguishing the camp fire when two white objects caught his attention. He stopped what he was doing to pick the objects up. They were two paper dolls.

"Inuyasha! Come look at this!" He called out to their leader.

"Paper dolls. Feh! I knew they were an illusion." He smirked

"Illusion?" Kagome asked

"While you were possessed by the jewel shards, we were attacked by whom we thought were Kikyo and Kouga. Inuyasha cut them down with no hesitation when he was in his demon form." Sango supplied some information for Kagome's benefit.

"You mean he just killed them without any second thoughts?" Kagome glared slightly at her mate, angered at his actions.

"Feh! Like I said, I knew they were illusions. They didn't smell quite right! Kouga wasn't near smelly enough. Kikyo didn't even smell like her grave soil." Inuyasha continued when his mates features softened.

"Besides" he whispered for only her ears to hear. "When it comes to you Kagome, I don't care who I have to kill to protect you!"

Kagome let out a small gasp as the meaning to those words sunk in. She squealed when he did the unthinkable, pulling a page from Miroku's handbook. He walked by her and gave her a large slap on the ass. His actions brought an approving smirk to Miroku's face and an shocked look to both Sango and Kagome's.

Walking ahead of them, he looked back, still smirking at the apparent shock that hadn't left the girls faces.

"Feh! I'm not gonna wait all day ya know! I'm hungry! Let's hurry up and get back to the village!" he growled out his demands before turning to start walking. Shippo had scurried up on his shoulder to chatter away to his new hero. Miroku had fell into a matching step beside him.

Sango and Kagome finally snapped out of their daze. Grabbing their belongings, the quickly hurried after their men, huge smiles on both their face. Today was the day that they would get on with their lives. Kagome's thoughts were on her future with Inuyasha and what they would do with the Shikon Jewel. Sango was planning her trip to locate Kohoku and planning her life with a certain lecherous monk.

The sun glowed warmly in the vibrant sky on the group as the trekked happily back to camp. Though their fight with Naraku was over, their adventure was anything but!


End file.
